Influence of gender on the distribution of type 2 diabetic complications at the obafemi awolowo teaching hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND

Sex specific differences appear particularly relevant in the management of type 2 DM.

OBJECTIVE

We determined gender specific differences in cardio-metabolic risk, microvascular and macrovascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

Four hundred type 2 diabetes patients, males and females, matched for age and disease duration were recruited from the diabetes clinic. Relevant clinical and laboratory information were obtained or performed.

RESULTS

190(47.5%) were male and 210 (52.5%) were female respectively. The mean age of the study population was 60.6 + 9.93 years. Women had higher prevalence of hypertension (and obesity. Mean total cholesterol was significantly higher in women but men were more likely to achieve LDL treatment goals than women (69.5% vs 59.0%, p<0.05). More women (47.1% & 31.4%) reached glycaemic goals of <10mmol/l for 2HPP and HBA1c of <7.0%.There were no gender differences in the distribution of microvascular and macrovascular complications (p>0.05) but women were more likely to develop moderate and severe diabetic retinopathy (p= 0.027).

CONCLUSION

Women with T2DM had worse cardiometabolic risk profile with regards to hypertension, obesity and lipid goals. Men achieved therapeutic goals less frequently than did women in terms of glycaemia. Microvascular and macrovascular complications occurred commonly in both sexes.